Is there racism in “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Hurston?
While Hurston’s novel does not address racism as later “social protest” novels by writers such as James Baldwin did in the 1960s, the setting places the narrative in a time of such division between races. However, rather than addressing the relations between races, Ms. Hurston addresses the interrelationships of African-Americans. For instance, in the section in which Janie has married the mayor of an all African-American town, there is yet conflict: Some are envious of the mayor and the mayor is extremely possessive and jealous of Janie. To keep other men from being attracted to her, he insists that she cover her hair and dress plainly and not socialize with the men in front of the store. Her spirit repressed by his possessiveness and his insults in Chapter 7 when he belittles her before customers, is again despondent. Her independent spirit must be free; she begins to daydream as she has done when married to her first husband. After Joe’s death, Janie realizes that she has been livin
